Physician burnout is a serious problem affecting not just doctors, but the entire healthcare system.
What is burnout?
Burnout is when someone feels exhausted, starts to hate their job, and becomes less effective at work. It’s not just about being tired; it’s about feeling worn down both mentally and emotionally to the point where it’s hard to feel excited about work or to find the energy to keep going.
What is physician burnout?
For doctors, this is often due to the huge amount of pressure they face every day. They have to make quick, life-changing decisions, work long hours, and often feel like they can never fully disconnect from their job.
According to the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), burnout among healthcare workers has hit crisis levels. “Fatigue, depression, anxiety, substance use disorders and suicidal thoughts are on the rise.” (Forbes.com)
What does burnout feel like?
Imagine going to work every day, for over 8 hours, and then coming home to do more work for hours at night. Now, imagine feeling worried all the time and feeling that you’re letting your co-workers, patients, and family down. That’s how burnout feels. Doctors often feel overwhelmed, sad, and constantly tired. They might start feeling cynical about their work, which means they might not care as much as they used to. This can make them feel guilty or like they are no longer good doctors.
Physician burnout causes
Too many administrative tasks
Instead of caring for patients (the mission of a physician), doctors are spending a lot of time “explaining the need for a particular drug or test, responding to a billing query, or explaining to an insurance company why a colonoscopy is needed.”
“I am no longer a physician but the data manager, data entry clerk and steno girl…became a doctor to take care of patients. I have become the typist.” (amjmed.com)
Primary care physicians spend about 2 hours working on the Electronic Medical Record (EMR) system for every hour-long patient appointment. Even during patients’ appointments, physicians “spend 37% of their time interacting with the EMR rather than the patient.” (amjmed.com)
Because there’s not enough time during the work day, doctors also end up working on EMR’s at home at night. A recent Mayo Clinic study found that “the average physician reports spending roughly half of their workday plus 28 additional night and weekend hours a month completing EHR tasks.”
Less time for patient care
Findings show that patient care is the most rewarding part of most physicians’ jobs. Having a lot less time for patients is causing low morale among doctors.
Long work hours
In an online survey by Medscape, over half of physicians working more than 60 hours per week feel burned out. For those who work over 70 hours a week, that number increases to 57%. Long work hours cause a negative impact on mental health. (tebra.com)
Trying to keep up with growing patient demand
For most of medical history, patients went to doctors with acute conditions, which were usually urgent and sudden, like broken bones, heart attacks, and appendicitis. Those required an appointment, or maybe several to rectify the problem. Nowadays, “chronic illnesses like cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes and respiratory illnesses are the most frequent and fastest growing problems doctors treat.” (Forbes.com) Chronic conditions affect 60% of all Americans, and require lifelong care. The patient needs to be seen several times a year. This doesn’t help the physician shortage issue, and causes an increase in burnout for physicians.
Online reputation
Since patients are now searching online for providers, physicians have another thing to worry about. 74% of patients say a positive online reputation is extremely important when they are searching for a provider. Therefore, physicians worry about receiving negative online feedback.
All of these factors can make doctors feel overwhelmed and stressed.
Physician burnout symptoms
If you think you may have reached the point of burnout, here are some common symptoms to look for:
- Exhaustion
Feeling overwhelmed can cause physical exhaustion. If you come home from work and are so tired that you cannot even do basic tasks like taking a shower or cooking a meal, you are probably reaching the point of burnout. - Difficulty sleeping
Poor sleep hygiene (insomnia caused by bad sleeping habits) can contribute to burnout. The problem is, burnout can also cause sleep issues. So, it can be a vicious cycle. - Physical health issues
Burnout can cause physical symptoms such as stomach issues, headaches, and bodily tension. - Feeling ineffective; lack of motivation
Burnout can cause doctors to feel like they are not contributing anything worthwhile or that their skills aren’t making a difference. This can cause enthusiasm and motivation levels to be noticeably lower. Lack of motivation can also cause procrastination. - Irritability and cynicism
If you’re normally in a good mood, and you find yourself constantly in a bad mood, you may be approaching burnout. Also, if you’re feeling disconnected from your job, or feeling like you don’t care as much about your patients as you used to, that could be burnout. - Change in appetite
This includes loss of appetite, increase in appetite, or craving certain foods. (Healthline.com)
What are the five stages of burnout?
- Honeymoon
No signs of burnout. You are enthusiastic about new roles or additional projects assigned to you. “During the honeymoon stage, you may be…happy to take on new responsibilities and learn new things. You also may feel particularly creative, optimistic about the future…Proving you are capable is at the top of your mind…you may even take on more responsibilities than you should.” - Stress begins
You start to notice that your job is taking too much of your time. Some days are very stressful. You start having less time and energy for things you enjoy. Physical symptoms may begin: headaches, anxiety, as well as sleep and appetite changes - Chronic stress
At this stage, you are feeling increasingly stressed out, and frustrated. Resentment, cynicism and apathy are common. Fatigue and exhaustion set in. Some responses could be procrastination, aggression, denial, and turning to alcohol and/or drugs. - Burnout
At this point, you are officially burned out. Because the earlier stages have not been addressed, “you have now reached a critical level of exhaustion that can feel crippling.” Symptoms of this stage include: struggling to meet demands placed on you, feelings of failure, inadequacy, self-doubt, and pessimism. You may neglect your own needs by obsessing about your work. - Habitual burnout
Burnout has become a way of life. Mental and physical fatigue, and possibly even depression are part of this stage. This is the stage where you have to seek help or some type of intervention. (Health.com)
Addressing physician burnout
How to avoid burnout
Ignoring physician burnout can lead to bigger problems. This is why it’s important for doctors to learn the signs and symptoms, and try to do something to rectify the problem and/or get help immediately before it’s too late. Physicians need to advocate for positive changes in their workplace and their profession. (HHS.gov)
Resources for physicians in South Carolina
The SC Academy of Family Physicians has resources to help physicians improve their well-being to help prevent burnout.
Physician burnout treatment
- The first step is to identify that you’re experiencing burnout.
- Focus on physical well-being – Physical activity is important. Find an activity you enjoy, and try to do it consistently, even if it’s something as simple as walking around your neighborhood.
- Get back to your hobbies – Reconnect with activities you enjoy outside of work.
- Use stress management techniques – Examples: meditation, and breathing techniques. These can be done at work and/or at home.
- Therapy or counseling
- Connect with your spirituality – Connection to something larger than yourself. This can include a wide range of beliefs and practices.
- Set new healthy boundaries – Set limits on work hours. Learn to say “no” when needed. Delegate tasks when possible.
- Find and make use of a physician burnout coach – These “programs are designed to provide individualized support and guidance to physicians by providing a safe and confidential space to identify sources of your burnout and develop strategies for managing these challenges.”
- Join a physician-specific support group – This will connect you with other physicians who are dealing with similar issues. (anniarajaphdtherapy.com)
National Academy of Medicine well-being resources for physicians: https://nam.edu/compendium-of-key-resources-for-improving-clinician-well-being/
Consequences of physician burnout
The effects of physician burnout are serious. For doctors, this might mean making more mistakes, like forgetting to write down something important about a patient’s health or prescribing the wrong medicine. These mistakes can be dangerous. Also, burnt-out doctors might visit the doctor more themselves because of stress-related illnesses, which means they’re not as healthy as they should be.
Burnout also affects patients. When doctors are burnt out, they might not be able to provide the best care. They might rush through appointments, not listen as carefully to patients, or lack the energy to fully engage with their patients’ problems. This can make patients feel neglected and can even affect their treatment.
Moreover, burnout can lead to doctors deciding to quit their jobs or even retire early. This can create a shortage of doctors, which is a big problem, especially in areas that already don’t have enough healthcare professionals.
Physician burnout statistics
The 2023 Medscape Physician Burnout & Depression Report is an online survey of 9,175 US physicians, taken between June and October 2022.
In this survey, “burnout was defined as long-term, unresolved, job-related stress leading to exhaustion, cynicism, detachment from job responsibilities, and lacking a sense of personal accomplishment.”
Here’s what the survey found: Physician burnout and depression continue to worsen. Physician burnout increased to 53% in 2022, up from 47% the year before.
Which doctors experience the highest rate of burnout?
Emergency physicians reported the highest rates of burnout, at 65%. Internists had a burnout rate of 60%, and pediatricians 59%.
Female doctors were much more likely to be burned out than their male counterparts: 63% versus 46%.
Levels of physician burnout
“Nearly 80% of physicians described their level of burnout as moderate to severe, and the majority (65%) said it has harmed their relationships.
How physicians deal with burnout
One in five cope with burnout by turning to alcohol and binge eating, while 40% just want to spend time alone.
Reasons for physician burnout
61% of doctors surveyed reported that too much bureaucracy is the chief reason for physician burnout. One-third of respondents cited a lack of respect from co-workers as the main cause of burnout followed closely by working too many hours.
Solutions to alleviate physician burnout
45% of respondents said higher pay was the best solution, while 44% said a more manageable work schedule would help alleviate burnout.
More than half of respondents said a physicians’ union would help. (prnewswire.com)
Physician burnout is a growing healthcare crisis that needs attention. By understanding the symptoms and causes of burnout, we can better support our doctors and ensure they have the resources they need to stay healthy and effective in their jobs. It’s important for hospitals and clinics to create environments where doctors can talk about their stress and find ways to manage it. Remember, a healthy doctor is more capable of caring for patients effectively!
The Law Offices of David L. Hood – Representing Injured Workers in South Carolina
Unfortunately, burnout is rampant throughout the medical field. As a result, work injuries happen all the time. If you’ve suffered a work-related injury, contact your Workers’ Compensation attorney, David L. Hood.
The Law Offices of David L. Hood have been fighting for the rights of injured workers in North Myrtle Beach, Myrtle Beach, Murrells Inlet, Greenville, Georgetown, Charleston and all across South Carolina for over 30 years. If we believe we can help you, our dedicated team will strive to take care of your claim professionally and treat you with respect. Over the years we and our co-counsel have represented hundreds of injured workers and their families, working hard to get them the medical treatment and compensation they deserve. Don’t you deserve 5-star representation?
To learn more about what we can do for you, contact our offices to set up a free initial consultation. If you choose to work with us, we will handle your case on a contingent fee basis, which means you pay nothing unless we make a recovery for you. To get in touch with us, you can call our offices at (843) 491-6025 or email us here.
Other resources used for this article:
MyWellBeingindix.org
